Letter: Our Hope Is to Save Whaleback

I am 12 years old and a student at the Lebanon Middle School. Recently, we have all probably heard about the closing of our community ski hill, Whaleback Mountain. My friends and I are all thinking the same thing: We practically grew up on this mountain! Snow days, early Saturday mornings and vacations, no matter what the weather, we were there. It was really a great hill to ski on for anyone of all ages: There was a “bunny hill,” a terrain park and, of course, the trusty, old double chairlift that we eventually grew to know and love. We have been through the upgrade of padding on the seats that made it a more comfortable ride. And every year, there were at least a few newly painted chairlift seats that people had donated and made their own. We picked out our favorite ones and laughed playfully at the two who got stuck in the “Love Seat.” Sure, Whaleback isn’t like Ragged Mountain or Sunapee, but we have watched it grow. It’s really important to support those we love, and in this case, it’s our Whaleback family.

Our hope is to keep Whaleback open now and for generations to come. Skiing and boarding is a way to express yourself, like an art. It’s a good excuse to get outside and have some winter fun! The facility has a debt of $1 million. The goal is to head toward a nonprofit organization. In order to support Whaleback and maybe raise some money, it would mean a lot to us kids and our families if you could contact Whaleback for ways to help. You could also get your letters published in the Valley News to get our community thinking. Every little bit counts. If you are interested, please contact Frank Sparrow by calling (603) 448-1489 ext. 203 or email frank@whaleback.com.

Enfield — Eight years after it re-opened, Whaleback Mountain has fallen under a rising tide of debt. Weighed down by more than $1 million in outstanding debt, Whaleback is moving to liquidate and sell off its assets, according to co-owner and two-time Olympic skier Evan Dybvig. “We owe a whole lot of people a lot of money, and nobody wants …